Sorry

Okay, so I'm not very good at tagging people even when it's as nice of a gesture as the "You Make My Day Award". I was supposed to tag 5 folks who make my day and post the badge on my blog. Well, I don't know how to post the badge and I just suck in general sometimes but there are so many great blogs out there and I've added so many to my Google Reader that it's hard to keep up. Here are 5 that I read EVERYDAY!

1. Dooce: Heather Armstrong is hilarious and I laugh outloud everytime I visit. I love her sense of humor because, although I love the soft and cuddly things in life, I also love sarcasm and crassness (is that a word? yes, it is)

2. Portabello Pixie: Just click over there and tell me if she isn't one of the most talented and creative folks in webdom. Her new line of fabric, Ginger Blossom, is begging me to make something out of it. But in the mean time it has to sit in my sewing room while I dream of what it will become.

3. How About Orange: This talented little lady is dedicated to her blog and has a line of fabric available at JCaroline Creative. She finds the coolest spots all over the web. These are two of my favorites: ONE and TWO.

4. Make and Takes: Marie is one busy Mama. And oh so creative. She makes the simplest of things look so much fun and comes up with the neatest crafts for her two precious (and lucky) kiddos.

5. Hello My Name is Heather: Another awesome Heather on my daily list of blogs to read. This is one talented lady and I own some of her Freshcut line of fabric. I've made several things from it and love it just as much now as I did when it came out.

Well, there are many more (too many!) but these are 5 that I know I can count on for a laugh, inspiration, and a good aha! moment each day. I would love to hear of some of your favorites. Oh, and I have to post a photo...this post looks lonely without one.


It's ME!!! and my Lil and my sister (from Left to Right).

Easter

What a fun and busy weekend. My beautiful sister was in town for an Easter visit and we had so much fun dying eggs, hiding eggs and letting Madelyn and Lillian play together. Madelyn is my niece and is just 16 months older than Lil. Saturday we went shopping and stopped by the fabric store to get some fabric for some beach dresses that I'm going to make for the girls. I turned my back for 2 seconds ( I SWEAR) and when I turned back around Lillian was in the process of painting her eyes with lipstick. The kind that is long lasting. The kind that is pretty much just permanent marker in a tube. I had to scrub and scrub to get it off. You would have thought that I was pulling her fingernails out one by one though by the sounds coming out of her mouth. However, on Easter morning, her eye was still puffy and rug burned so I think maybe I did scrub too hard. Hence the reason that this was her best side this morning.

I Am So Tired

Of talking about myself. I'm sick of it...I feel really bad that I've put up post after post of "hey look at what I did". Anyway, thank you all for commenting and emailing and finding ways to lift me up on your shoulders so I feel as if I've really accomplished something with my sewing and smocking and blabbering about ME! Anyway, I know I've written about Heather before but I just LOVE her. See here and you'll see why. She's an incredible writer and her (written) voice sounds like the voice inside my head. She can put words on paper like no one else. Oh, if you don't like curse words or are easily offended--please don't click the links.

Smocked

Well, here is my second attempt at smocking. I do love it. Once I learned to smock, I knew that I MUST learn to "picture smock". I found the cutest pattern (they are called "plates" in the smocking world) in the spring issue of Creative Needle. It was a row of chocolate bunnies that just screamed Easter. Lil will certainly wear this through the Spring--not just for one Easter Sunday--considering that a lot of blood, sweat and tears went into it. Here's a peak:


Many of you have expressed anxiety over trying to learn to smock. I say GO FOR IT!!! My teacher told me that you will either love it or hate it--You will be over it before you even begin or you won't be able to get enough. Well, I certainly couldn't get enough. My first dress was a "bishop" and I took a class that walked me through each step. This second dress is called a "basic yoke" and I dove into it on my own. I bought a book that is indispensable called the A-Z of Sewing for Smockers. These A-Z books are incredible and this one deals only with construction--not smocking. So it walks you through the steps of how to construct the actual dress--whether it be a bishop, a basic yoke or a full yoke. How to add a sash, collar, sleeves, etc. EVERYTHING. I want several books from this series because there are a kazillion photos in the books with step by step instructions. I could go on and on. Anyway, the point is, don't be scared. Jump right in like I did but be prepared to make time for it. Lillian likes to sit right next to me while I smock. I would love to see your smocked creations! Here are more photos of the bunny dress:

The Song Remains the Same

Well, it's the same song second verse around here. I've been busy busy busy and haven't made the time to blog. I did finish my first smocking project and loved it so much that I learned to "picture smock". So I've completed two dresses at this point as well as some other projects. I've done so much lately that I really don't know where to start so I'll just take it one step at a time and blog about each thing separately....first is my very first attempt at smocking. Which I have to say I am very pleased with.



Oh SHOOT!!! I just remembered that sweet, sweet Tara over at Project Felt gave me a 'You Make My Day Award' exactly ONE MONTH AGO. I have so fallen from grace on this one and I apologize, Tara. I was so honored by this and yet I didn't even show up. Tara is great about blogging several times a week and honestly--She makes MY day. It's all on my list of things to do. And I don't even know HOW to display the badge:( That shows my stupidity with all things related to html. I'll just post another couple of pics of my dress since I DO know how to do that:)